Air cleaner for carburetors



1932- J. w. GILMORE ET AL AIR CLEANER F013 CARBURETORS Filed June 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet gwoento'z kin 76am 0M Hiokm an Jan. 1?, 1932. J G|LMORE ET AL 1,841,286

AIR CLEANER FOR CARBURETORS Filed June 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u gwumtoq r .56 H 2 Gilmare L: 2 j 'mijffiolm an Patented Jan. 12, 1932 uN T n .s'i -a'ras P TE T OFFICE A Jams w. ermronn Ann wrnnram a. mom, or rminmron, onneon Am onmmm son omnunnroas Application filed June 19,

This invention relates to air cleaners for cleansing the air passing into the carburetor of an internal combustion motor and particularly to an air cleaner designed for the purpose of separating the dust from the air before reachin the carburetor.

One of the o jects of the present invention is to provide a very simple, compact and inexpensive air cleaner which is so constructed that it will not materially increase the resistance to the passage of air to the carburetor .and a further object is to provide means for causing lubricating oil in a very slight amount to be carried up with the air toithus oil the valve parts of the engine in addition to re moving theydirt from the air.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an endelevation of an air clean er constructed in accordance with our invention; w

Figure 2 is a view on the line 22 of Figure 1 and looking toward one of the sections of the body, this section of the body being in elevation;

Figure 3 is an under side plan view of the body of the air cleaner, the oil basin removed;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-1-4 of F1 re 2' a Figurei5 is a section on the line 55.. of

Figure 2; v

Referrmg to these drawings, designates tions a and b. The two sections are held together by bolts 11 shown as passing through outwardly projecting studs 12 on the two sections and carrying nuts '13. It is to be understood, however, that while we have illustrated these bolts as being upon the exterior of the air cleaner casin they might well be disposed to pass throug the interior of the casing and that-we have merely shown them upon the exterior to make the illustration clear. The lower end of the casing 10 is flan ed at M and disposed below the lower end-"o the casing is a bowl or oil basin 15 flanged at its upper end, these flanges conthe outer shell or casing which 15 rectangular v in cross section preferably made in two 'sec- 1980. Serial No. 4e2,ai4.

fronting the flanges 14. A gasket of any suitable material and designated 16 is disposed between these flanges and the flanges are bolted or otherwise engaged with each other.

The bowl 1.5 is open at its top and extending transversely across the bowl is the downwardly and laterally curved vane or deflector 17. Also extending transversely across the top of the bowl is .the downwardly and laterally angled deflecting vane '18 which is spaced from the vane 17 This vane 18 extends downward and laterally at approximatelythe same angle as the vane 17 but at its lower- L. end is angularly extended at 18, this angular extension being nearly parallel to the bottom of the bowl and to the surface of the oil contained therein. p

The casing 10 is formed to provide a hooded air inlet opening 19, the hood defining this opening being designated 20. The hood 20 opens into a passage 21 defined by a wall 22 extendingdownward from the top of the casing 10 in parallel relation to the adjacent wall 2310f the casing and so spaced from this wall 23 that when the bowl 15 is disposed upon the casing, the wall 22 will meet and aline with the deflector vane 17 which willform a continuation of this wall 22. Extending across the bottom of the casing 10from a point immediately above the deflector or vane 18 is the bottom wall 24. 'Thus a passage 25 is left s between the upper ends of the vanes 17 and 18 into the casing 10. This wall 24 is provided with a relatively narrowtransversely extending slot or port 26 whose purpose will be later stated. Disposed above the wall 24 and below the upper end of the wall 22 is .a wall 27 which extends laterally from the wall 22 and thenupward parallel to the opposite wall of the casing so as to define a passage designated generally 28 which extends upward into the upper portion of the casing. This passage is provided at intervals with inwardly extending ribs or baflle flanges 29 which act to pre- 5 vent oil from creeplpg up the walls of the passage 28.

' The upper end of the casing lO is provided with the outlet elbow 30 which is extended upward through an opening in'the ,top wall 31 1 6 of the casing 10. This elbow is provided with a flange 32 on its lower end which overlaps the wall 31 and a ring 33 surrounding the elbow. A gasket is preferably disposed between the ring 33 and the flange 32. This construction in effect swivels the elbow 30 to the upper end of the casing so that it may be turned to any desired position to make a suitable connection to the carburetor. From the elbow 30, a flexible hose, (not shown) may lead to the carburetor.

The wall 27 extends upward as at 27 parallel to the adjacent end wall of the casing 10 and extending downward from the top of the casing 10 is the wall 35 which is shown as extending downward and inward below the lower end of the elbow 30 and extending downward below the upper edge of the wall 27*. Thus air passing upward through the passage 28 into the upper end of the casing .10 is causedto pass downward between the Wall 27 and the Wall 35 and then upward between the wall 35 and the wall 32 and into the elbow 30 and thus travel through a circuitous course. The opening 26 in the wall 24 which constitutes the topwall of the oil basin acts as a relief opening to relieve any undue pressure in the upper portion of the oil basin. The oil basin is made detachable in order to make it possible to removefoul oil and replace with new and clean oil when necessary. VVhere the casing 10 is formed in two halves or sections a and I), a gasket 36 is disposed between the twohalves of the shell along the edges of the shell and along the edges of the vanes.

In the operation of this device, upon the suction stroke of .the engine, air is drawn in through the opening 19 into the passage 21 and downward into the oil basin and even into the oil contained therein. The oil thus cleans the air of dust particles or other foreign matter. The air is then drawn upward between the vanes 17 and 18 into the passage 28, the baflle flanges 29 preventing the oil from creeping up the sides of the passage and the air is then drawn upward over the top of the wall 27 downward between the wall 35 and the wall 27 and then again upward into the elbow and so to the carburetor. The air entering the opening 19 immediately takes a downward course and before changing its course materially comes in contact with the surface of the oil in the oil basin. The slightly curved vane 17 preventsthe air from taking an immediate course through the opening 25 but directs it backwardly over the surface of the oil. When the air has reached the rear wall of the basin 15 it returns in an upwardly circular motion as indicated by the arrows and again comes in contact with the oil surface before passing the curved vane 17. As before stated, any undue pressure within the oil chamber is relieved by the port 26. One of the vital points in this air cleaner resides in the peculiar shape and position of the deflecting vane 18 with its extension 18". This vane, extending as it does at an obtuse angle downwardly from the bottom wall 24, and having a further extension at an obtuse angle to the first named portion, acts to force the air downwardly against the surface of the oil and cause the air to rotate in the rear portion of the basin and then again be forced down to the surface of the oil before it passes up through the aperture 25.

The action of the air in passing over the oil in the basin tends to carry over a certain amount of volatilized oil which acts as a lubricant to the valves of the motor.

Another important feature of this invention resides in the provision of the opening 26. This opening which we have illustrated in the form of a slot must have such size as to equalize the air pressure in the upper portion of the oil basin.

While we have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangements of parts, we do not wish to be limited to these as many minor changes might be made without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

While we prefer to use this air cleaner with oil, it will be understood that it might be used with water for the purpose of cleaning the air and also providing a certain amount of moisture to the charge.

As before stated, the provision of the baffies 17 and 18 and the deflected portion 18 we consider a very important feature of this invention and the particular form of these baffies is a result of long experimentation. If the baffle or vane 17 were extended straight downward toward the oil, any rushing air would cause the oil to become so agitated that it would rolliff such large waves that in the passage of the air back through opening 25,

the air would be caused to carry large quantities of oil up into the upper chambers and possibly some would pass on through into the carburetor. If the port 26 were closed entirely even with the vanesfi-i'sposed as shown in the drawings, this would'also cause the oil to roll very heavily and there would be liability of the oil being carried up in the manner as previously described.

The setting of the vanes is such as to maintain the oil in the bottom of the basin without having it lifted up into the upper chambers. The air cleaner has been in actual operation and has been found extremely effective.

We claim 1. An air cleaner for internal combustion engines, including a casing, a liquid bowl, the casin having an inlet passage opening into the liquid bowl above the liquid therein and a tortuous outlet passage opening into the liquid bowl and leading through the casing, a deflector extending downward into the bowl and separating the inlet passage from the 7 opening inthe outlet passage, and a second deflector extending for a distance approximately parallel to the first named deflector and toward the liquid in the bowl and then extending away from the first named deflector toward the opposite wall ofthe bowl.

2. An air cleaner for internal combustion engines including a casing, a liquid bowl, the casing having an inlet passage opening into the liquid bowl above the liquid therein and a tortuous outlet passage opening into the liquid bowl and leading through the casing, a deflector extending downward into the bowl and separating the inlet passage from the opening in the outlet passage, and a second deflector extending approximately parallel to the first named deflector and from the opposite side of the outlet opening of the bowl, and at its lower end extendin angle to the first named portion of the deflector and nearly parallel to the surface of the liquid within the bowl and away from the first named deflector.

3. An air cleaner for internal combustion engines including a casing, a liquid bowl, the' casing having an inlet passage opening into the liquid bowl above the liquid therein and a tortuous outlet passage opening into the liquid bowl and leading through the casing,

'a deflector extending downward into the bowl and separating the inlet passage from the opening in the outlet passage, and a second deflector extending approximately parallel to the first named deflector and from the opposite side of the outlet opening of the bowl, and at its lower end extending at an obtuse angle to the first named portion of the deflector and nearly parallel to the surface of the liquid within the bowl'and away from the first named deflector, there being a relief port between the upper portion of the bowl and the outlet passage.

4: An air cleaner for internal combustion engines including a casing, a liquid bowl, the

casing having an inlet passage opening into the liquid bowl above the liquid therein and a. tortuous outlet passage opening into the liquid bowl and leading through the casing,

a deflector extending downward into the bowl and separating the inlet passage from the opening in the outlet passage, and a second deflector extending approximately parallel to the first named deflector and from the 0pposite side of the outlet opening of the bowl, and at its loWer end extending at an abtuse angle to the first named portion of the deflector and nearly parallel to the surface of the liquid within the bowl and away from the first named deflector, there being a relief port between the upper portion of the bowl and the outlet passage, said relief port 1 extending transversely of the bowl and passage the full extent thereof.

5. An air cleaner for internal combustion at an obtuse engines including a casing formed in two lateral sections, means for holding the two sections of the casin in engagement with each other, the casinglming partially open at its bottom, a liquid bowl detachably engaged with the bottom of the casing, the casing bein g formed to provide an inlet passage extending from the exterior of the casing downward through the casing and discharging into the bowl, the bowl having a deflector forming a continuation of one wall .of the inlet passage and deflecting the air into intimate contact with the liquid in the bowl, the lower end of the casing having an outlet opening just beyond the deflector and there being a second deflector extending parallel to and spaced from the first named deflector and extending downward toward the liquid and toward the opposite end of the bowl from the inlet end thereof, the casing being formed with walls defining a tortuous passage extending up into the upper portion of the casing, then downward, and then up to the discharge opening of the casing, said walls being formed with inwardly extending flanges preventing creeping of the liquid up said walls, and an outlet pipe connected to the top of the casing.

6. An air cleaner for internal combustion engines including a casing formed in two lateral sections, means for holding the two sections of the casing in engagement with each other, the casing being partially open at its bottom, a liquid bowl detachably engaged with the bottom of the casing, the casing being formed to provide an inlet passage extending from the exterior of the casing downward through the casing and discharging into the bowl, the bowl having a deflector forming a continuation of one wall of the inlet passage and deflecting the air-into intimate contact with the liquid in the bowl, the lower end of the casing having an outlet opening just beyond the deflector and there being asecond deflector extending parallel to an spaced from the first named deflector and extending downward toward the liquid and towith walls defining a tortuous passa e extending up into the upper portion of t e casing, then downward, and then up to the discharge opening of the casing, said walls being formed with inwardly extending flanges preventing creepin of the liquid up said walls, and an outlet pipe connected to the top of the casing, said outlet pipe being adjustable into a plu rality of angular positions relative to the casing.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

JAMES W. GILMORE. WILLIAM F. HICKMAN. 

